It is often for a notebook user that at least one of a number of cables and cords (e.g., power cord, network cable, mouse cable, printer cable, printer power cord, speaker cable, speaker power cord, etc.) is connected to the notebook irrespective of the notebook being used in office or at home. The user is also bothered by detaching above cables and power cords from the notebook before carrying the notebook out of home or office. The user is further bothered by connecting above cables and power cords to the notebook again before he/she is able to operate the notebook in an indoor environment.
For solving above problem, a docking has been available for easy assembly or disassembly of a peripheral. The docking can be classified as a basic model, an expansion model, and an external model each having respective features. In detail, the basic model comprises a plurality of ports. The expansion model comprises not only the same ports as the basic model but also a multibay at either side of the docking for mounting and connecting to another peripheral such that the notebook can have features substantially the same as that of a typical desk top computer. The external model comprises a universal serial bus (USB) port for connecting to a notebook.
In addition, it is understood that a notebook is a much compact device (i.e., having a limited internal space). It is impossible of mounting all conventional peripherals in a so-called all-in-one type notebook. Further, its hard disk drive is limited in storage space (i.e., having small memory). It is often that a great portion of memory is occupied by data as use continues. Thus, a user may want to install another hard disk drive or backup some data in a Compact Disc-Recordable (CD-R) prior to deleting the same. It is also possible of transmitting data to an external storage device over a local area network (LAN). But this is less convenient as compared with transferring the same data on the notebook directly to a storage device mounted in the notebook. At this time, the above multibay can be used as means for mounting a peripheral (e.g., a removable second hard disk drive, a CD-R, a Digital Versatile Disk-Read-Only Memory (DVD-ROM), or a floppy disk drive) for storing excessive data. Moreover, a second rechargeable battery may be mounted in the notebook for prolonging an operating time thereof. Additionally, a removable data storage device in a desk top computer can be removed prior to mounting in a notebook or vice versa.
A so-called expandable portable architecture is derived from the above concepts. It is characterized in its powerful expansibility. In brief, a user is able to configure a notebook to have any desired functions by expansion. A notebook can remove any peripheral from a hot multibay and integrate platforms for meeting different demands. In another aspect, a user can easily assemble one of a variety of external devices in a notebook or detach the same therefrom.
However, in one example there is no device (e.g., lock) mounted in a docking for inhibiting the theft of a peripheral mounted in a multibay of the docking. The theft is quite possible, resulting in a great loss to the owner of the notebook. In another example, a lock is mounted in the docking. However, such type of lock is complicated in construction, is expensive, and does not operate well with an existing lock of the docking. Thus, it is desirable to provide a novel lock for securely fastening a peripheral in the multibay of a docking in order to overcome the above drawbacks of prior art.